The Interrupters return to Vans Warped Tour with a new album called Fight The Good Fight, out June 29. This 4 piece punk ska band from California has marked their territory as the fun and wild side of rhythm. Working from their first album to now with Tim Armstrong of Rancid, and with Hellcat Records, The Interrupters have established a voice and style uniquely their own. FEMMUSIC continues to profile the women acts playing Vans Warped Tour with our interview with Aimee Interrupter. For info visit http://www.wearetheinterrupters.com/ & https://vanswarpedtour.com/

FEMMUSIC: What was the biggest challenge making Fight The Good Fight?

AI: This time around we recorded to tape. Each reel of tape only holds 30 minutes of music and we only had a few so we only got two takes to get each song right. If we didn’t nail it in two we had to record over them. It was a very different method than we were used to but everybody in the band rose to the occasion and I think you can hear the urgency in the music. A lot of my main vocals were done live with the band to tape and those were the takes we used.

FEMMUSIC: I was reading a prior interview of yours that said that everything you’d learned from touring you to put to use in making Say It Out Loud. What do you think you’ve learned since then? How are you applying it in the new record?

AI: We are always challenging ourselves to be the best we can. We have done a lot more touring since the last album. We were lucky enough to play stadiums and arenas supporting Green Day as well as big festivals like Coachella and Punk Rock Bowling. We went right into the studio after two years of straight touring and everyone in the band was at the top of their game. We had a lot of ideas written already but also developed a lot of ideas in the studio with Tim Armstrong. We wrote and recorded around 30 songs and picked the best 12 just to make sure we were absolutely happy with the album as whole and there was no filler. We put a lot of love into it and we are all super proud of it.

FEMMUSIC: Fight the Good Fight continues your tradition of working with Tim Armstrong & Hellcat Records. Why keep coming back? What contributions do they bring to the band? Has there ever been a question of working with anyone else?

AI: We’ve said it before, Tim is the fifth Interrupter. He’s the best producer for us because we have all worked on so much music with him throughout the years even outside The Interrupters. He understands us as musicians and always challenges us to elevate our songwriting while not overthinking it. We have built such a great bond with him and Hellcat. That’s our home and always will be.

FEMMUSIC: The Interrupters is one of handful of woman led acts on the final Vans Warped Tour. In past years there have been up to 25% of the bands being women led. This is not your first time on Warped Tour. I was wondering if you think there is a backlash against women in aggressive genres of music by the industry?

AI: I think being in a band and being able to go on the Warped Tour is a great accomplishment regardless of gender. I’m not aware of those percentages and I don’t usually check the line-ups of the shows I play and count how many bands are female led or not. Some bands have female drummers, guitar players, bass players, or keyboard players. I don’t really see a difference. The entire Warped production office is run by women. I have never thought of Warped Tour was a tour that would subscribe to any sort of “industry backlash against women in aggressive genres of music”, whether such a thing exists or not.

FEMMUSIC: Can you describe your songwriting technique?

AI: We don’t have any singular songwriting technique. Songs come about in so many different ways. The only thing we try to do is follow the creativity. Sometimes you go into the studio with an idea and you walk out of there with something completely different than you had in mind. Especially when collaborating, it’s like having a ball of passion everyone passes around until you have a song.

FEMMUSIC: What song (not your own) has had the biggest influence on you and why?

AI: “I Love Rock n Roll” by Joan Jett. My parents used to take my Joan Jett cassette away from me as punishment and I learned to sing every word loud and proud as my act of rebellion against such an injustice. It helped shape the way I sing and to taught me to use music as my form of protest.

FEMMUSIC: As a woman in the music industry have you been discriminated against?

AI: Yes, of course. No industry is perfect and I’m certain that you can find discrimination in all of them. The music industry is no different. I’ve been singing my whole life so I’m sure you can imagine I’ve run into it a time or ten.

FEMMUSIC: Whom would you most like to collaborate with, or tour with? Why?

AI: Right now I’d love to tour with the Skints. I think our two bands together would be a super fun show. I absolutely adore Marcia plus I could watch the Skints every night.

FEMMUSIC: What one thing would you like to change about the music industry?

AI: Every record executive should have to go on tour and sleep on the floor for a week at least once a year.